ARFID and Eating Disorder Support
Specialist treatment for eating disorders, bringing together dietetics, feeding expertise and evidence-informed therapeutic approaches.
Helping individuals and families navigate disordered eating, ARFID and eating disorder diagnoses.
Specialist eating disorder care, beyond nutrition alone.
Eating disorders affect far more than what someone eats. Our specialist dietetic care brings together nutritional rehabilitation, eating and feeding support, and evidence-informed therapeutic approaches to address the behaviours, thoughts, fears and practical difficulties that can make eating difficult.
Treatment is tailored to the individual and may include structured meal support, food exposure and behavioural work, CBT-informed strategies, feeding interventions, psychoeducation and family-based approaches. We work collaboratively with GPs, psychologists, psychiatrists and specialist eating disorder teams where wider multidisciplinary care is needed.
- Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder
- ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder)
- Disordered eating, food anxiety and restrictive eating
- Nutritional rehabilitation and restoration of dietary adequacy
- Meal support and establishing regular eating
- Food fears, avoidance and graded food exposure
- ARFID and feeding-focused interventions
- CBT-informed strategies within dietetic practice
- Family-based and parent-supported approaches for children and adolescents
- Relapse prevention and maintaining progress
- Collaboration with your wider care team
Who this service is for
This service provides specialist outpatient dietetic care for children, young people and adults with eating disorders, disordered eating and difficulties with food and eating. This includes anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and ARFID, as well as individuals experiencing restrictive eating, food anxiety or other eating difficulties that may not yet have a formal diagnosis.
The level and type of support required will be considered individually. Eating disorders can affect both physical and psychological health, and dietetic treatment does not replace appropriate medical or mental health care. Where needed, we work alongside GPs, psychologists, psychiatrists, paediatricians and specialist eating disorder services as part of a wider multidisciplinary team.
Some individuals will require regular medical monitoring alongside treatment, which may include weight and growth, pulse, blood pressure, blood tests, ECG or other investigations as clinically indicated. This should be undertaken by an appropriate medical professional, usually your GP, paediatrician or specialist eating disorder team. Where medical monitoring is considered necessary for safe outpatient treatment, we will ask for this to be in place and may liaise with the clinician responsible for your care.
This service is not appropriate as the sole source of care where there is significant medical instability, severe malnutrition, rapidly deteriorating physical or psychological health, significant risk of self-harm or suicide, or where a level of monitoring and treatment is required that cannot safely be provided in an outpatient setting.
Where a presentation is beyond the scope of outpatient dietetic care, we will recommend assessment by the appropriate medical, mental health or specialist eating disorder service. In some circumstances, more intensive day-patient or inpatient treatment may be required.
You do not need to have a formal eating disorder diagnosis to seek support. If you are unsure whether this service is appropriate for you or your child, please get in touch and we can advise on the most appropriate next step.
Urgent support
Eating disorders and difficulties with eating can sometimes become medically or psychologically serious. This service provides planned outpatient dietetic care and is not an emergency or crisis service. Enquiry messages are not monitored outside working hours. If you need help now, please use the routes below rather than waiting for a reply.
Please seek urgent medical help if you or someone you are supporting is experiencing:
- Fainting, collapse or loss of consciousness
- Chest pain, difficulty breathing, or a very slow, very fast or irregular heartbeat
- Severe dizziness, weakness, confusion or difficulty staying awake
- Severe dehydration, inability to keep fluids down or persistent vomiting
- Seizures
- Blood in vomit or significant gastrointestinal bleeding
- A rapid or significant reduction in food or fluid intake
- Rapidly deteriorating physical health
- Severe malnutrition or signs of medical instability, regardless of weight
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or feeling unable to keep yourself or someone else safe
- Suspected or diagnosed anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, ARFID or another eating disorder alongside signs of acute physical or psychological deterioration
For severe or life-threatening symptoms, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.
For urgent medical advice, contact your GP urgently. Outside surgery hours in England, Scotland and Wales, call 111.
For an urgent mental health crisis in England and Scotland, call 111 and choose the mental health option. In Wales, call 111 and press option 2. These lines are open at any hour, for any age, and a parent or carer can call on a child’s behalf. In Northern Ireland, call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000.
You do not need to have a diagnosed eating disorder, or be at a particular weight or BMI, for symptoms to require urgent medical assessment.
For information and support, Beat, the UK’s eating disorder charity, runs a helpline on 0808 801 0677 in England, open 3pm to 8pm Monday to Friday, with separate numbers for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Samaritans is open at any hour on 116 123, and Childline on 0800 1111 is there for children and young people. None of these replaces urgent medical assessment.
Common questions
Do I need a referral?+
No. Families and individuals are welcome to self-refer, and GPs, consultants and other clinicians are welcome to refer directly.
Are appointments in person or online?+
Both. Appointments are available in person at Springbank Clinic in Sevenoaks and online via telehealth across the UK.
For eating disorder treatment, the initial appointment is normally held in person, with regular face-to-face appointments required throughout treatment. This allows appropriate clinical assessment and monitoring, including weight and other physical measurements where indicated. Online appointments can be used alongside in-person care where clinically appropriate.
Where distance or individual circumstances make regular attendance difficult, please contact us to discuss whether a safe and appropriate arrangement can be made.
What happens at the first appointment?+
The first appointment is an opportunity to understand what is happening, what support may be needed, and whether this service is the right fit. We will talk through the current concerns, relevant history and any existing treatment or support, and agree the most appropriate next steps.
Will you communicate with my GP or other healthcare professionals?+
Yes. Eating disorder care often requires close communication between the professionals involved. Where clinically appropriate, we will liaise with your GP, consultant or wider care team to share relevant information, coordinate care and support safe treatment. Where there are concerns about medical or psychological risk, information will be shared with the appropriate healthcare professionals as necessary to safeguard your health and wellbeing.
Do you work alongside other professionals?+
Yes. Eating disorder treatment often involves a multidisciplinary team, and we work collaboratively with GPs, psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, paediatricians and specialist eating disorder services where appropriate. Good communication between those involved helps ensure that care is coordinated and that medical, psychological and nutritional needs are considered together.
Take the next step
If you are looking for specialist support for yourself, your child or someone you care for, get in touch to discuss how we can help.